The Memory Game
by worksofvengeance
Summary: Tohru and Kyo are very happy together. Everything seems perfect - as if it's always been this way. Nearly too perfect. What could be missing? Tohru certainly can't remember. Disclaimer - I don't own any of the Fruits Basket characters.
1. 1: Playing House

Kyo rolled out of bed, stretching into the sheets and knuckling his eyes. He blinked a few times before the smell of breakfast registered in his mind. That got him moving.

He stuffed his legs into pants and hobbled down the hallway while pulling them up. He ran both hands through his hair, inevitably making it worse. He rounded the corner and there she was, wearing an oversized tanktop and slippers, hair braided down her back. He was so distracted by her that he stubbed his toe on the floor lip leading into the kitchen, and grunted.

She startled, turning around just in time for him to clumsily collide with her. His attempt at gracefully kissing her failed miserably when his nose slammed into her forehead.

Together they collected their balance. She laughed, stroking his cheek and giving a very deliberate, "Good morning."

Kyo kissed her forehead and grumbled - turning to get some juice.

"Did you squeeze this today?" He asked, taking another shot.

Tohru beamed and nodded, "I've been up an hour or so. I didn't want to start on any major cleaning and wake you up, so I did some kitchen chores and worked in the garden a bit. The strawberries are coming in nicely!"

"You're amazing. And perky. How are you always so perky?"

She shrugged, "I guess I'm just happy."

She dished him a plate and they sat to eat. He was always impressed with how she organized a plate – a small thing to notice and appreciate, but she was good at presentation.

"I had that dream again," she said, making eye contact with her bacon.

"Mm?" Kyo grunted, delicately avoiding the topic. She didn't catch on.

"Yeah, only this time he was wearing black. But the rest looked the same – silver hair, purple eyes. So familiar, but I don't think I've met anyone like that. I would remember someone like that…"

Kyo just stared on.

"Anyway, I don't remember much else, except he was wearing black and standing in all the doorways I passed. And it was winter."

Kyo got up to clean his plate. "Weird, maybe you recognize him from a commercial or something but don't realize it. I'll be back around 7 – do you need anything from the grocery store? I can stop there on my way home tonight."

"Just some more leeks and rice would be nice. And more oranges," She half-smiled, still pondering any lingering thoughts about her dream.

)()()(

"You know everyone will be here in a few weeks. You know they have to come and that they'll _need_ to see me, right? Then they'll know."

A hand slapped his face so hard he bit his lip. He sucked in the blood and spat it into the dark space in front of him.

"Yes. They'll be here. But as you said, not for a few weeks. We still have time – don't worry."

A rumbling laugh filled the empty black space, which seemed to grow, and grow, and grow . . .


	2. 2: The Making of Love

Kyo spent at least 10 minutes in the produce section staring at the leeks, debating buying them or pretending to forget. He hated leeks – even when she cooked them. He would always pretend she had done a great job hiding them in her dishes, but he knew they were there and could _always _taste them. It wasn't her fault – it was just one of his quirks.

He figured he could get away with not bringing them home. He also figured she would be happy either way – she was never upset over silly things.

He knew he shouldn't get upset over silly things either but he just couldn't help it. He was pissy by nature. It bugged him that she kept dreaming about Yuki. The one person she shouldn't dream about – or even remember.

Once he recognized he wasn't moody about getting leeks – or even that it had been rainy all day. He grabbed a bundle and headed to check out. He was with her, she was with him, they were happy. She was probably making him tea right then, worried he'd catch a cold.

He smiled.

)()()(

They collapsed back, sweating. She rolled over and clutched his sweaty torso, giving him a tight hug. Pieces of her hair sprawled across his arm, sticking too him and tickling his neck. He kissed the top of her head and she turned up at him, smiling.

She cozied herself into his side and started to slow her breathing. She was beginning to drift off when she heard him whisper, "I love you, you know."

Her breathing immediately stopped. She wasn't sure she had just heard what she'd heard. It was so quiet she thought maybe . . .

He shifted to look at her and their eyes locked for a few moments – leaving no doubt in her mind. She could tell he was suspended in that moment – full of fear and hope and longing and vulnerability.

She beamed and he breathed and they kissed. Forehead to forehead she nuzzled his nose as they fell into sleep.

Kyo was always a deep sleeper after whereas Tohru would toss and turn, or sometimes resign to getting up early.

She made herself some tea and went to the roof to have a heart-to-heart with the moon.

She hated that she could never fully be with Kyo. She always felt as if a small part of her was locked away somewhere. She could never completely feel happy. Something ate at the back of her mind. Something telling her this wasn't real, or right, or how it should be. Maybe she just didn't accept that she could have something so wonderful and was being unintentionally destructive.

But that wasn't quite it either.

She loved Kyo, but she also felt like it took a long time to get to this point. She felt as if they had come through a very long fog to emerge not to the bright sunlit future but to a hazy potential course of action. Things weren't quite clear to her, but she knew there was . . . something good there. So it must be love; love seemed like the right solution, the right thing to feel. He was safe, and he loved her.

She was being emotional.

As usual, the moon was right. She finished her tea and went back to bed. As she climbed in, Kyo rolled over to hug her and the doubt she had slipped away with her wake mind. Once again, that gnawing feeling drew back to it's dark corner of her consciousness.

)()()(

"Wake up. I need you to bleed into this cup."

His good eye opened as far as it could.

"Can't you use what's on the floor?"

Silence.

"Well I can't really bleed on command. You'll have to come get it yourself."

Silence.

He laughed, pulling himself to a half-sit. He was shaky. He made a mental note to take it easy.

"Either you pick how you bleed, or I will," the darkness said.

He considered. "That's a pretty big cup. Will Hatori be here this time at least?"

"You have 1 hour."


	3. 3: Homecoming

"How long are you gone for?"

"Just a few days – but I'll be able to call and stuff."

Tohru sat on the edge of the bed watching him pack and picking at her nails.

"So it's a family thing?"

She was fishing. She knew she shouldn't and that when he was ready he would talk about his family. But she was so damn _curious_. He never talked about them, and yet had an incredibly deep sense of duty for them.

She supposed every family was different – there was probably a reason.

He zipped up his suitcase, put it on the floor, and sat on the bed next to her, taking her hands.

"Ok, how about . . . mid-week I can sneak out and meet you for midnight ice cream. Sound like a plan?"

She smiled and nodded.

He smiled back, kissing her forehead before heading to the door.

She almost called after him to have fun, but thought it might be inappropriate. She knew how stressful family things were for him. Making this all the stranger. He hadn't been called to meet with the family for a long time now – at least over 2 years. She wondered why now – why after so long? She wondered many things, but tried to put it in the back of her mind.

)()()(

He brushed the hair out of his eyes. He should have gotten it cut but he forgot. He supposed he'd be scrutinized and scolded for it. Nothing he could do now.

The train lurched to a stop and he nearly fell, too lost in misplaced concern to pay attention. He pushed his way toward the doors as they slid open and stepped into the brisk air. It was colder here. Throughout his 7 hour trek he had noticed a steady drop in temperature at each bus or train exchange.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he stiffened his shoulders against the chill and marched on.

He wondered about how he would react when he got there – what he'd say, how he'd feel. He wondered if the entire family had been called, or if it was just a few select people again. He wondered if Kyo would be there, or if he didn't count.

It had been awhile since the last gathering and he had been starting to hope that maybe it was all over. Maybe he wouldn't need to come back. But here he was.

How were the people who stayed in town handling all this? How did they go about each day being so close to it all and yet so removed? He knew there was only one person to blame – one person to direct anger towards. He also knew that to do anything to stop or change events would be catastrophic for not only him but for everyone else involved.

It was such a delicate mess.

He realized that while he was lost in thought, his feet still knew the way – the all too familiar route was etched in his motor senses. The neighborhood was becoming more familiar – like a terrible whirlpool he was travelling in towards a sinister center.

He decided to have one last cigarette at the main gate before going in. He wasn't sure when he'd be able to have another – the rules being so strict and all. He knew he'd be yelled at now for both his hair and his smoky smell.

He smiled bitterly at his concerns, eyeing the northwest corner of the house – his problems could definitely be worse.


End file.
